Science Under the Ice

Coastal Marine Biodiversity in the Ross Sea, Antarctica.

Spiders the size of dinner plates, burrowing sea urchins, and 100-year-old scallops are just some of the incredible creatures living below the Antarctic sea ice. Scientists brave -2°C waters and dive under three metres of sea ice to explore this hidden world.

Dr Drew Lohrer is one of these scientists. A Principal Marine Ecologist at NIWA, he has travelled to Antarctica eight times to explore factors affecting life on the coastal seafloor.

Dr Lohrer will take you on a journey to Antarctica, discussing the logistics of diving and conducting experiments under thick sea ice and sharing images of the amazing animals living on the seafloor.

We'll even take you one step closer to the real thing with NIWA’s spectacular Dive Deep virtual reality experience available on the night.